STEM at Pitzer
See how science meets social responsibility at Pitzer
“I chose Pitzer because I wanted to study science in a place where curiosity matters as much as results. Here, professors treat you like a collaborator from the start, you’re encouraged to ask your own questions and discover where they lead.”
Caitlin Niiya '26
Environmental Science and Chemistry Major
If there's a science course you need, we've probably got it — Pitzer students can enroll in STEM classes at all five Claremont Colleges
Find Your Path
Ready to find your Pitzer STEM program? Browse our website, or dive deeper into our STEM program by visiting the Department of Natural Sciences' site.
Student Pathways
Shaping Space Policy
Scotia Rollins '25 used tools from her physics major and philosophy minor as a space policy intern with the National Academies of Science. Her senior thesis explored the requirements for the rocket engines that might one day send a crewed mission to Mars.
Read Scotia's Story
Forecasting Fire Risk
Daniel Bonilla '25 used his environmental studies major to secure an internship with NOAA, where he helped integrate satellite data into models used to project how harmful wildfire smoke moves. He is now pursuing a master's in public health at UC Berkeley.
Student Voices
Juan Santos '23 won fellowships at Stanford and Caltech to conduct advanced research. He's now pursuing a Ph.D. in ecology at the University of Chicago.
“Pitzer gave me the confidence and support to take each next step. The fellowships at Caltech and Stanford didn’t happen by chance, they started with professors who believed in me and showed me how to build toward something bigger.”
Juan Santos '23
Molecular Biology and Spanish major
Places that Inspire Purpose
The Nucleus
The Nucleus is the Department of Natural Sciences' brand-new science complex. Explore the sciences across 151,000 square feet of state-of-the-art labs, classrooms, and study spaces.
Robert Redford Conservancy
The Robert Redford Conservancy is a 12-acre environmental research center located across the street from Pitzer's main campus. The Conservancy provides student fellowships, serves as a hub for environmental activism, and spearheads sustainability research.
Firestone Center for Restoration Ecology
Perform hands-on ecological research and cross-cultural collaboration at the Firestone Center for Restoration Ecology, a 150-acre biological reserve and field station situated in the heart of Costa Rica's lowland rainforests.
The Outback
The Outback's three acres of outdoor space across from East and West residence halls serve as an outdoor classroom where you can explore Southern California's native flora and the intersection of science and art.
Bernard Biological Field Station
This 86-acre living laboratory, situated next to the Robert Redford Conservancy, offers rich opportunities for fieldwork in environmental science, biology, and ecology just steps from campus.
Featured Faculty
Prof. Anna Wenzel is a professor of chemistry. Her research focuses on the production of the production of alkenes and amines, compounds used in the production of goods from plastics to pain relievers. In 2025, Prof. Wenzel won a $250,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to continue this research in collaboration with STEM undergrads in the Department of Natural Sciences. Her lab also helps combat substandard and falsified drugs in developing nations in collaboration with the Distributed Pharmaceutical Analysis Lab (DPAL) at the University of Notre Dame.
Read about the Grant
Prof. Tessa Solomon-Lane is an associate professor of neuroscience. Her research looks at how behavioral, endocrine, and neural mechanisms help develop and regulate social behavior in humans by studying Burton's Mouthbrooder, a fish found in parts of Africa. In 2024, she received a CAREER grant from the NSF — a major award that provides funding for her research for the next five years.
Read about the Grant
Prof. Pete Chandrangsuis an associate professor of biology. He and Prof. Katie Purvis-Roberts recently won a three-year NSF grant to lead 18 student researchers in deploying low-cost water quality monitors and paper sensors to research water quality and biodiversity in the Bang Mot area of Bangkok.
Read about the Project
STEM in Action
View All STEM News
Featured
Studying a Rare California Ecosystem
Hannah Chan ’24 and Bailey Parkhouse ’24 publish research they started as Pitzer students to study fire risks to the California sage scrub.